Mechanical hyperalgesia in complex regional pain syndrome: a role for TNF-alpha?

Neurology. 2005 Jul 26;65(2):311-3. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000168866.62086.8f.

Abstract

Plasma concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) receptor type I (sTNF-RI) were assessed in two complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) patient groups (n = 30 and n = 16) and healthy controls (n = 25). Patients with CRPS and mechanical hyperalgesia had higher levels of sTNF-RI (1,661.8 +/- 146.8 pg/mL) compared with those with CRPS with identical clinical appearance but without hyperalgesia (1,155.9 +/- 56.3 pg/mL) and controls (1,239.5 +/- 42.9 pg/mL). This study suggests involvement of TNF-alpha in mechanical hyperalgesia of CRPS.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age of Onset
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndromes / blood*
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndromes / physiopathology
  • Edema / blood
  • Edema / etiology
  • Edema / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Ganglia, Spinal / metabolism
  • Ganglia, Spinal / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Hyperalgesia / blood*
  • Hyperalgesia / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / metabolism
  • Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated / metabolism
  • Neuralgia / blood
  • Neuralgia / physiopathology
  • Neurogenic Inflammation / blood
  • Neurogenic Inflammation / physiopathology
  • Nociceptors / metabolism
  • Nociceptors / physiopathology
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain Threshold / physiology
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / blood*
  • Sex Factors
  • Skin Temperature / physiology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism*
  • Up-Regulation / physiology

Substances

  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha